Alofaaga Blowholes

On Savai'i's southern shore, old lava flows reached the sea and left tubes running through the black rock. When swell pushes into them, water is forced up and out in vertical jets that can reach tens of metres, with a roar and a delay that makes them feel alive. The village of Taga, in Palauli district south-west of the Salelologa wharf, manages the site and charges a small fee, since most land in Samoa is under customary ownership, and the customary demonstration is to drop a coconut into a hole and watch it fired far into the sky - a piece of showmanship that has become the reason many people come. The surrounding coast is raw black rock and white spray with no development at all.

The landscape

• The blowhole jets - seawater fired vertically from the lava tubes.
• The coconut demonstration - the local trick showing the force involved.
• The black lava coast - the raw shoreline around the holes.
• Savai'i's south road - lava fields and villages along the coast.

When to go

Bigger swell means bigger blows, so the jets are most impressive when the sea is up - which often means the wetter months or after a storm. The drier season from May to October is more comfortable for travel. High tide with swell is the best combination.

Things to know

The rock around the holes is sharp, wet and genuinely dangerous, and standing near the openings is not worth the photograph. The performance depends entirely on swell; on flat days the blowholes barely work. The coconut trick expects a tip beyond the entry fee. Reaching Savai'i means a ferry from Upolu and then a long drive.

Nearby

Taga village, the Afu Aau waterfall and Savai'i's lava fields at Saleaula.

Key facts